SMB: The Prophecy
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: A long forgotten prophecy has been rediscovered on the night of a passing comet. Mario and Luigi, are both witnesses to the prophecy and are determined to locate the source of the lore before the world is destroyed. Light and Darkness begin to clash as painful truths are revealed and sacrifices must be made as the fate of the world rests on their shoulders.
1. The Comet

_Two Hearts, Two Stars._

 _The Brightest Light Creates the Darkest Shadow._

 _The Darkest Shadow Creates the Brightest Light._

 _Struggle Brings Chaos._

 _Resolve Brings Peace._

 _Thunder and Fire Will Rain Down From the Crying Sky and the World Shall Split in Twain._

 _Spilled Blood of the Innocent Gives Rise to Darkness._

 _Doubted Strength Weakens the Light._

 _Untapped Power Shall Awaken From the Darkness and Smother the Exerted Light._

 _Only the Strongest Bonds of the Heart Can Withstand the Darkness and Restore the Light._

 _One Heart, Two Stars._

 _Two Hearts Beat as One._

* * *

A night of celebration and tradition adorned the Mushroom Kingdom and its denizens. A comet that passes over the Mushroom Kingdom once every one thousand years is set to grace the Kingdom with its glorious presence. With each passing the comet passes ever closer to the planet, which birthed a long forgotten prophecy that was locked away only for royal eyes to witness.

Chroniclers of the Mushroom Kingdom's history have debated over the true appearance of the comet for eras. Some say the comet shines in a brilliant ruby red that flashes white, others claimed to have seen the comet shine with a vibrant green that flickers in and out of sight as if dipping into shadows. The first Chronicler declared that the comet flashed between red and green while exuding brilliant light and deep shadow. It was decided that on this night the debate would be settled once and for all, and the comet would finally be given an appropriate title.

In the Royal Garden of Peach's Castle; a Garden in full bloom of roses, orchids, lilies and tulips that covered the grounds with a cascading flow of color and aroma. In the center of the Garden, sitting on the edge of the marble fountain and beneath the statue of the late Queen Orchid, Princess Peach sat with her two dearest friends, Mario and Luigi, at her sides.

Toadsworth, the loyal royal Ward, walked toward the fountain with cane in hand and stood proudly in front of the Princess. "Your Highness the festivities are a grand success, the citizens are over joyed and ready to watch the comet!"

"That's wonderful, Toadsworth!" Peach was elated to know her people were happy. "When do you predict the comet will appear?"

Mario and Luigi, who had turned to look at Toadsworth when he initially arrived, craned their necks as they eagerly awaited his answer.

"Within the hour, I suppose." Toadsworth replied with an heir of confidence in his voice as turned his gaze upward. "I also predict that the comet will pass by so close that the dark night sky will light up with a beautiful aura of cosmic energy!"

Peach smiled with excitement. "I can't wait to see it!"

Toadsworth nodded with his own composed form of excitement. "Neither can I, my dear. All of our past Chroniclers have described the comet as a beauty that is beyond anything that can be found on the earth in which we tread." He took a long, solemn look at the night sky before turning on his heel. "And I pray the predictions of the past Chroniclers fail to hold true... on this night."

Mario shrugged his shoulders in a somewhat skeptical manner at Toadsworth's comments as he turned his attention back to the night sky overhead. Luigi took off his green cap, ran his fingers through his brown hair and sighed in a relaxed manner after replacing his cap. He too focused on the starry sky above.

"Wow, so many stars tonight." Luigi commented with genuine awe at the natural site in the sky. "I wonder how many other comets are up there, right now..."

Mario silently shook his head, his eyes never leaving the stars. "I'm not sure, Weeg. Probably millions!"

Peach folded her hands as she anxiously awaited the comet's arrival. Several smaller shooting stars danced across the night, each star a different color and last for only seconds at a time. Rainbow hued tears fell from the black sky, like the heavens themselves were weeping at the hypnotically beautiful sight.

Mario glanced over at Peach and discreetly slipped his hand closer to hers. "Might I ask how Toadsworth knows so much about the comet?" His attempt to make conversation with the lovely princess was quite obvious, but no one mentioned it.

"Toadsworth's ancestors were the original Chroniclers of the Mushroom Kingdom." She answered and turned to Mario, her hands unfolding and resting on the edge of the fountain as she braced herself upward with anticipation. "He's very proud of his lineage and has studied the past Chronicler's documents thoroughly."

"Oh," Mario casually pushed his hand closer to Peach's. "I see..."

Luigi could see Mario flirting with Peach from the corner of his eye. Sighing he muttered to himself. "Too bad Daisy has to miss this..."

Peach grinned at Luigi's comment and looked toward the green clad brother. "I'm sure she'd be here is she could."

"Yeah, I guess." Luigi pulled his green cap down over his eyes in an attempt to conceal his betraying emotions as he stared at the stars above.

Mario caught the tone of Luigi's voice and turned his attention to his little brother. "Luigi, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Luigi fought to keep his tone steady. "Just thinking out loud, that's all."

Before Mario could press the matter further he felt Peach's hand on his shoulder as she pointed to the night sky with her free hand. "Look! The comet!"

In the distance an orb of bright light quickly filled the dark sky as it flew closer and closer to toward the Mushroom Kingdom. The orb grew in size and increased in brightness as it flew closer and faster toward the world!

"It's beautiful..." Peach almost whispered as she stared in awe.

Mario put his hand over top Peach's, which was still resting on his shoulder in a lax grip. Luigi glanced over at Mario and Peach and frowned with a twinge of jealousy in his gut.

The comet raced over the Mushroom Kingdom at an incredible speed. It's color glimmering in a turbulent flash of multiple colors, shifting seamlessly from one vibrant color to the next. Clouds of fog and smoke began building in the sky which darkened the comet, but failed to shroud it from sight.

Luigi suddenly felt uneasy. He put his hand on the edge of the fountain and felt vibrations building in strength beneath his palm. "Do you feel that?" The vibrations soon transitioned into violent tremors that shook the entire Mushroom Kingdom.

"What's happening?" Peach asked as the tremors rattled the kingdom and caused Toads to panic. "Is it the comet?!"

A high pitched shriek filled the air as the clouds turned to smoke and the comet hurtled toward the earth, a long stream of multicolored star dust followed its thunderous descent.

As the comet roared toward the planet the tremors shifted into a single violent earthquake that caused buildings to collapse, trees to bend and topple and the surrounding Dark Mountains to crumble.

Falling from the fountain and to the ground Mario laid over Peach in an attempt to shield her from falling debris as the trio wrapped their hands over their heads and shut their eyes in fear.

A bright flash of bright fire and the sound of unnaturally loud thunder traveled through the Mushroom Kingdom as the comet collided with the planet, creating a massive crater near the top of Dark Mountain peak.

Huddled together on the shaking ground the three heroes looked up toward the mountain and watched in awe as black smoke, red embers, green sparks and ominous howls rose from the damaged mountain peak. Screams of terror from the witnessing Toads only gave the site a further sense of dread and much needed hesitation after the catastrophic event.

"Is... Is everyone, alright?" Mario asked wearily as he slowly rose from the ground and offered Peach his hand.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Peach answered as she put her trembling hand in Mario's.

Luigi stood up on shaky legs and brushed the dirt from his overalls. "I think so. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Mario confirmed as he and Peach stood beside Luigi in front of the cracked and leaking fountain. "But what was _that_?" He pointed toward the mountain. "Was that the comet or did something _else_ happen up there?"

Toadsworth approached with a 'harrumph', his clothing dirty and his usual stoic mannerism rattled. "I'm afraid that the comet marks the beginning..." He bowed his head mournfully.

"Beginning?" Peach was intrigued by the Ward's cryptic reply. "Beginning of what?"

Toadsworth lifted his head and locked eyes with the Princess. "The prophecy."

Mario and Luigi exchanged fearful glances before looking back toward Toadsworth and Peach.

"Toadsworth, what is happening?" Peach asked determinedly.

"Come." Toadsworth motioned toward the Castle with his cane. "There is something you must see, my dear. Something I had hoped you would never have to bear during your rule."

Peach looked toward Toad Town, unsure if she should leave her people during this moment of chaos, but a warm hand on his arm coaxed her to follow the Ward. "Mario, Luigi, would you come with me?"

The brothers looked at each other once again and nodded. Walking side by side the heroic duo followed the princess and Ward through the Garden and toward the damaged, but still standing regal Castle in the distance.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	2. Making a Choice

It took all the strength in the hearts of the heroic trio to ignore the panicked screams and cries of the frightened Toads, and to follow Toadsworth into the Castle. Smoke continued to billow from Dark Mountain, blanketing the peak behind a curtain of black that was somehow darker than the night sky. The acrid smell of brimstone, ozone and smoldering green timber began wafting down over the shaken Toad Town.

"Come." Toadsworth lead the trio into the Royal Library, that was as old as the Castle itself.

"Toadsworth," Peach was worried about her people and wanted to assist them. "what is more important than the Kingdom? Why must we be here right now?"

Mario and Luigi, who had been following in mutual silence, were curious about Toadsworth's peculiar behavior and motives as well. The season Ward was usually so calm, composed and dignified. In this moment he seemed preoccupied and even uncharacteristically scared.

"My dear, what I must show you is a task that I have long since dreaded since my arrival as the Royal Ward so many years ago..." Toadsworth had marched with purpose through the library, passing all the lengthy shelves adorned with countless texts and tomes, only to stop at the intricately carved stone and marble hearth in the center of the far wall.

Peach stood at Toadsworth's side and stared at the Ward with grim facade. Mario and Luigi stood a few yards behind the duo, neither knowing what to say if anything at all during the tense moment.

Carved into the face of the marble hearth was a silhouette of a dancing couple. The couple were adorned with crowns representing their royalty. To the left and to the right of the central dancing couple were other couples, all wearing crowns. The surrounding couples were the descendants of the King and Queen who had settled and ruled over the Mushroom Kingdom during the Castle's initial construction. And above the hearth was an oil painting of Peach's late parents; Queen Orchid and Prince Moral. A small pink rose was resting on the mantle as a sign of respect for royalty on what was supposed to be a night of festivities and celebration.

Toadsworth took his cane and pressed a hidden button concealed within the mural on the hearth; hidden between the crowns of the central King and Queen. The wall to the left of the hearth rumbled and sank backward and slid behind the hearth in a slow but steady pace. A blast of stagnant air and must filled the library are the secret passageway was revealed for the first time to Peach, Mario and Luigi. Toadsworth himself had seen the passage before and gazed into the dark opening with a grimace.

"Come this way." Toadsworth instructed as he took the first step into the passage without hesitation.

Peach peered into the darkness but couldn't see Toadsworth. A bright spark lit up the still blackness as Toadsworth struck a match and used it to light a torch which was resting against the wall. The blackness became a dull orange as the fire's glow filled the passageway.

Turning her focus on Mario and Luigi standing behind her Peach took one step inside the narrow opening. "Shall we?"

"After you, Princess." Mario respectfully acknowledged. "We're right behind you."

The trio walked into the secret passage following the lit torches that followed the descending spiral, stone staircase. The air was thick and smelled of dust. Ancient cobwebs clung to virtually every nook and cranny of the long neglected passage.

"Yuck," Luigi complained as he pulled a cobweb from the bill of his cap and tossed it to the ground. "I sure hope Toadsworth can tell us what's going on outside."

"So do I." Mario agreed, his hand pressed against the wall to help him navigate the new locale. "We need to get back outside and help the Toads!"

Peach nodded but kept her eyes on the torches that marked the path. "I hope no one's been injured..."

Luigi closed his eyes empathetically as the idea of innocent people being hurt was too upsetting to admit.

The trio reach the bottom of the winding staircase and found themselves standing at the entrance of an incredible large, old and vacated chamber.

"Wow..." Mario remarked, his comment echoing off the massive, stone walls adorned with age-worn tapestries.

"Here." Toadsworth's voice sounded off from the heart of the chamber. He stood idle in front a massive semi-circle stone desk in the low light provided by the newly lit torches that encircled the chamber. "This is what I must show you."

Peach, Mario and Luigi all approached Toadsworth tentatively. As they stepped closer they could a large, stained, torn and faded scroll on display atop the surface of the desk. Two candles at the far ends of the scroll were just bright enough to allow the long forgotten words to be read.

"A scroll?" Peach asked bewildered. "Is this some kind of ancient document or map?"

Toadsworth shook his head. "Neither of those, I'm afraid." He put his hand on the center of the scroll. "This, my dear, is an ancient prophecy that has been foretold millennia ago."

"A prophecy?" Peach was almost stunned by Toadsworth's admission. The elderly Ward was never one to believe in superstition or myth. "Why would you bring this to our attention during a crisis?"

Pointing to a faded depiction at the top left corner of the scroll Toadsworth's finger came to rest on the image of a comet. "Do you see?"

"The comet..." Peach realized as her heart skipped a beat. "The ancient Chroniclers knew of this night? They knew the comet would fall?"

Toadsworth nodded while Mario and Luigi stepped closer to the table, peering over Toadsworth and Peach's shoulder curiously. The brothers focused on the image of the massive comet striking into the world below and felt a chill roll up their spines as the eerie depiction almost mirrored the night's events.

"And here," Toadsworth continued to translate the meaning of the images. "after the comet falls from the sky the world as we know it will share be torn apart by ravaging fires and relentless storms. The impact of the comet will create a massive fissure that will separate one hemisphere of the world from the other. Two great warriors will rise to challenge the stars only to fail. As a result a war shall reign effectively splitting the entire planet into two halves." He bowed his head sadly. "We've already felt the resulting earthquake, smelled the fire and building storm..." Turning his gaze to Peach a solitary tear fell from his eye. "the world will soon be torn in half by only two people, dividing the entire populous and causing irreparable chaos."

"This is... This is it?" Luigi asked with voice notably shaking "The end of everything we know?"

Toadsworth ran his fingers to the ancient text below the images and began translating the long dead language for the others to understand. "As it has been written: ' _Two Hearts, Two Stars. The Brightest Light Creates the Darkest Shadow. The Darkest Shadow Creates the Brightest Light. Struggle Brings Chaos. Resolve Brings Peace. Thunder and Fire Will Rain Down From the Crying Sky and the World Shall Split in Twain. Spilled Blood of the Innocent Gives Rise to Darkness. Doubted Strength Weakens the Light. Untapped Power Shall Awaken From the Darkness and Smother the Exerted Light. Only the Strongest Bonds of the Heart Can Withstand the Darkness and Restore the Light. One Heart, Two Stars. Two Hearts Beat as One._ '" Toadsworth finished the translation. "From what the past Chroniclers and myself have been able to determine, this means that the two warring parties will clash. One side will be victorious and lead the world into nothing but ashes and ruin..."

"Is... Is there anything that we can do? Can we rescue those who become stranded?" Peach asked eagerly as the vividly detailed yet faded images began haunting her sight.

"No. I'm afraid not." Toadsworth confirmed with a sob in his throat. "All we can do is wait. Wait and pray."

Mario took a step forward and put his hand on Toadsworth's shoulder. "I don't believe that! There _must_ be something we can do! Sitting around and waiting won't do anything..."

Luigi stood beside Peach and looked at his brother with mounting dread. "Mario, we can't fight fate. This night had been written about thousands of years ago! We can't change the past or the future!"

"No," Mario agreed begrudgingly. "but we _can_ change the present!"

"What're you saying, bro?" Luigi could see a gleam of anger in Mario's eyes and felt his own stomach begin to knot.

"I'm saying we need to stop the war before it begins! Look!" He pointed at the images on the scroll. "The comet has fallen, the fires and storms are beginning and the earthquake has already hit us, but we haven't seen any sign of anyone trying to start a war. We can still stop them!"

"But how?" Luigi was still feeling cynical about the entire situation. "We don't even know who to look for, or where!"

"How about the mountain peak, where the comet landed?" Mario suggested with sincerity and a twinge of hope. "It can't be a coincidence that the comet crashed into the only mountain with constant battles being fought!" His mind immediately returning to the countless duels between himself and Bowser in the Dark Mountains and Dark Land beyond.

Toadsworth shook his head doubtfully. "Master Mario, I applaud your passion, but the die has been cast. We can't-"

Mario's fist slammed down hard on the stone table and silenced the Ward while startling Peach and Luigi. "I don't accept that! I can't!"

Luigi and Peach could feel an intense heat radiating from Mario's body as his own anger and determination began to affect him physically.

"Easy Mario," Luigi tried to calm his brother and ease the mounting tension. "just breathe."

Peach put her hand on Mario's fist, which was still pressed into the stone table. "Mario, please..." She soothed his explosive temper with a single touch.

His fist relaxed beneath her hand and slowly slid off the table to hang limply at his side. "...sorry."

"Don't be." Peach wasn't offended by his outburst, just surprised. "Everything will turn out okay. I know it."

Toadsworth was still doubtful but knew he had no ability to keep Mario from venturing toward the massive crater in the Dark Mountain. He struck a second match and lit his pipe. Taking a single puff he sighed with defeat. "I can't say that I approve of such a reckless attempt, but I also cannot stand by and doing nothing. Master Mario, if you wish to explore the crater and prevent a war then make haste!"

Mario nodded in respect and looked toward the passage from whence the group entered. "Thank you." He glanced over at Luigi and nodded once before locking eyes with Peach. "Princess, I will return." Pulling down his cap Mario dashed up the staircase and out of sight.

"Mario..." Peach watched as her dearest friend charged to the rescue, leaving her behind in the safety of the underground chamber.

Luigi sighed once and gave the Princess a small salute with his two fingers against his forehead, then shrugged dismissively. "He's my brother, I can't let him go alone, he needs me!" Running off into the passageway Luigi reunited with Mario on the staircase as he too disappeared from sight.

"Good luck. Both of you." Peach all but whispered as the thought of losing her entire Kingdom, her friends and her home began to ache at her heart. "We need you to succeed... All of us."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	3. Reaching the Peak

Mario aggressively pushed open the main entrance doors of the Castle and rushed outside into the smoldering carnage with Luigi, standing tall, at his side. With his blue eyes filled with determination Mario stared resolutely at the billowing smoke emanating from Black Mountain Peak, knowing full well that the crater created by the impact of the comet was waiting to become it's destined battleground.

Luigi followed Mario's intense gaze and shuddered at the eerie glow of the fallen comet embedded in the peak. The panicked screams of the Toads who scurried through Toad Town gave a foreboding ambience that tightened around his weighted heart like a vice.

"C'mon Luigi," Mario insisted fearlessly. "we need to get to the mountain, fast!"

Luigi rubbed the back of his neck with righteous anxiety before replying quietly. "Are you sure you want to go there? Who knows what could be going on!"

"That's why we have to check it out." Mario took a step forward. "I'm not going to stand by and do nothing while the world tears itself apart."

Nodding silently Luigi took a step of his own to again stand evenly with Mario. "Okay then. Let's go."

Together the heroic brothers moved through the damaged town, stepping over large cracks in the ground and chunks of debris from dismantled buildings. The Toads were frantic and unable to focus on anything but the earthquake that nearly leveled the town, providing no assistance to the venturing heroes as they passed by. Society was crumbling as easily at the town itself.

Reaching the exit of Toad Town Mario and Luigi found themselves surrounded by downed trees, snapped limbs, opened fissures, small fires and blankets of fog. The trail to the mountain range was littered with obstacles that were only made more cumbersome to navigate thanks to the dark night and even darker smoke.

"Watch your footing." Mario wisely cautioned as he set his boot down on massive log that was stretched across the path. Opening his palm Mario ignited an orange fireball, a gift provided by his Fire Brand ability.

"And keep your head low." Luigi pulled drooping branches down from the battered tree limbs as he followed the glow of the fireball up the trail. "If we're going to reach the mountain peak before anyone else does we better move it!"

"Yeah, let's take the more direct route." Mario suggested, pausing on the trail and sizing up the side of the mountain.

"'Direct'?" Luigi stood next to Mario and looked up the side of the mountain as well. "You mean 'up'?"

"You got it." Mario put his free hand on a rocky ledge and began climbing up the seldom tread route. "Come on."

Luigi nervously wrung his hands together. "O-okay... Just keep the path lit! I don't want to fall back down." Luigi took his own grip on the mountain side and began following Mario at a steady pace. "We can't afford to slip up."

Small orange embers and black flakes of dried soot fluttered from the mountain to the trail below, like a grisly snowfall from the depths of Hell itself.

The brothers began a rapid and unorthodox ascent up the Dark Mountain, leaving the Castle and Toad Town far below to pick up the pieces after the impact of the comet shook the world violently. The side of the mountain had been split open due to the impact. The higher the duo climbed the more severe and abundant the damage, making the climb increasingly difficult. The wafting black smoke enveloped the heroes, blocking the glow of the fireball from curious eyes that watched in the distance.

* * *

Sheltered in the secret chamber beneath the Castle Princess Peach and Toadsworth studied the ancient prophecy in an attempt to seek a peaceful resolution to the chaotic event. The faded but still grim images and the long muted words had been studied by the wisest of Toad Chroniclers for thousands of years, each Chronicler passing their knowledge to the next. It seemed the prophecy was indeed an unstoppable reality.

Toadsworth hovered over the scroll, pipe in mouth and eyes fixated on the weathered document. The fiery glow of the torches that lined the chamber gave an almost peaceful atmosphere in spite of the destruction that surrounded the Castle.

Peach had grown weary of reading and re-reading that damnable scroll and took to pacing about the chamber instead. She was drawn to the many intricately woven tapestries that adorned the walls of the chamber. No two tapestries were the same. Each one depicting a single important event from history, or an event that had yet to pass.

The tapestries told of the Mushroom Kingdom's given past and warned of its inevitable future...

"How peculiar." Peach stood before a large blue tapestry that seemed somehow out of place amongst the others. "Toadsworth, come look at this."

The Ward, who was intrigued by the tone of Peach's voice, rose from his seat at the table and walked over to where she was standing. "What is it, my dear?"

She pointed to the image on the tapestry. "Look. Isn't that-?"

"My goodness!" Toadsworth's eyes widened with wonder at the image before him. "It's Master Mario!"

There, on the blue tapestry, was a hero dressed in red standing atop of a broken mountain with a white aura surrounding him. In one hand he held an orange fireball and in the other one half of a single, broken star.

"What does this mean?" Peach asked excitedly. "Why is Mario on the tapestry?"

"I... I don't know!" Toadsworth was just as perplexed as the Princess. "Perhaps... Perhaps Master Mario is right! Perhaps the prophecy _can_ be changed!"

* * *

The struggle to reach the fractured peak of the mountain had exhausted both Mario and Luigi. The brilliant glow of Mario's fireball had dwindled as his strength waned with each step higher. The thickened air from the smoke made it difficult to breathe, which slowed the journey upward. The stench of ozone mixed with freshly exposed sulfur combined into a single, acrid, putrid odor that strung their nostrils and burned their eyes.

"Mario, are you holding up okay?" Luigi asked as he stifled a dry cough that he struggled to ignore.

"Yeah, I'm okay!" Mario lied, his fireball nearly extinguished. "We're almost at the top, don't stop now."

"Right..." Luigi swallowed once in an attempt to rid his throat of the irritation. "I'm not going to stop for anything!"

Blinded by smoke and darkness Mario could only navigate by touch. As soon as the palm of his hand touched down on the flatter surface of the peak he let out a sigh of relief. They made it! Placing both hands on the edge of the top he pulled himself up, using his upper body strength in attempt to salvage what little strength his legs still carried.

Sitting down on the top of the ledge he reached his hand down into the darkness. "Here, Weege. Take my hand."

"Got it!" Luigi just barely caught a glimpse of the white fabric of Mario's glove in the black smoke. Taking a hold of Mario's hand Luigi felt himself being pulled up the mountain and over the edge next to his brother. "Thanks!"

"No problem." Mario took a moment to catch his breath and scan the area. "I think the comet landed over that rise." He pointed to the source of the black smoke, which was pouring over a rise of disturbed earth, in thick sheets.

"Yeah." Luigi agreed. Still wary of the dire situation used the sleeve of his arm to wipe the sweat and clinging soot from his face and eyes. "Think the fires are out by now?"

"Should be." Mario stood up and dusted the dirt from his hands. "The smoke was too thick, we could barely breathe. I think the fires were smothered long before we reached the top."

"Good!" Luigi ran his hand through the thick ash on the rocky surface and crumbled a few particles between his fingertips. "Hate to get burned."

The tired but focused brothers regained their composure before bravely stepping forward to investigate the crater. It was quiet and the air was still. With the smoke now collecting at their feet the stars above were once again visible, and seemed impossibly bright in contrast to the rich darkness surrounding them.

"Beautiful." Luigi remarked, his eyes instinctively drawn upward toward the cosmos.

"Huh?" Mario's mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

"The stars. So bright and pure against a deep darkness."

"Don't look at the stars!" Mario nearly scolded his younger sibling. "We need to be on the look out for anyone who might be trying to fulfill the prophecy."

Luigi's heart skipped a beat. The very idea of someone so sinister possibly sharing the same mountaintop was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Oh, right... Yeah." Luigi did his best disguise his vocal nervousness. "Can't forget why we're here."

"Sh!" Mario got lower to the ground, creeping up to the rise in an attempt to peek over the edge without being spotted. "Follow me."

Luigi nodded and mirrored his brother's movements, creeping low and silently to the ground at Mario's side.

Reaching the top of the rise the duo carefully looked over the edge and into the smoldering crater below. Inside a large spherical stone had been partially buried by the mountain after impact. The stone itself was pulsing with a faint gold glow with veins of silver marring its otherwise flawless surface.

"Do you see anyone?" Luigi whispered as he stared at the fallen comet within.

"No," Mario shook his head. "not yet. But keep your eyes peeled."

Luigi didn't say anything. He was too fixated on the comet. It's enigmatic beauty was almost hypnotic, almost as it were somehow beckoning to him. Without a word or even really thinking Luigi leapt over the edge and slid down into the crater toward the comet.

"Luigi!" Mario clumsily reached for Luigi's hand in an attempt to stop him. "Come back!"

Luigi's boots met the comet and the silver glow intensified beneath his presence.

"Luigi!" Mario followed Luigi down into the crater and grabbed a hold of his brother's arm, unaware of the intensified gold glow of the comet. "What're you doing?"

Before either could speak a strong tremor from within the comet shook them horribly. "What the-?" Luigi asked as he and Mario hastily scrambled up the side of the crater and back to the mountain peak. "Another earthquake?"

"I don't know!" Mario admitted as he and Luigi slid down the rise of the crater together, back to the mountain peak. "What were you thinking going in there?! You could've been hurt!"

"I-" Luigi couldn't respond and defend his actions as the earth trembled violently once more.

A burst of gold and silver light from the downed comet silenced the brothers as a silhouetted slowly form upward rose from the crater. The sound of crumbling rocks, splitting ground, snapping trees filled the air with a thunderous clash. The smell of ozone was sickening as a dusty cloud from the core of the comet was unleashed atop the mountain.

Shielding their eyes with their hands, watching the enigmatic even unfolding through squinted eyes, the duo were bathed in an intense wave of light, warmth and energy as the rising, shapeless form came to a graceful stop almost a hundred feet above the crater.

The light, shining like a beacon over the expansive mountain range, faded into a dull glow. The air was calm and all was silent for but a moment as an unknown, powerful, booming voice called out to the brothers standing in silent awe below. " _You've arrived at last: Heroes..._ "

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	4. Conflict

Without a word Mario and Luigi watched in silent awe as the shapeless form floated in midair with an ethereal sense of belonging. The fallen comet had been the vessel for the newly arrived being who now hovered overhead. Dim light and a gentle breeze blanketed the peak with a cosmic aura. The stars above were concealed behind the darkness, creating only the faintest of a white glow.

Mario and Luigi lowered their hands, no longer needing to shield their eyes from the intense light above and cautiously stepped back from the mysterious form.

"Who... Who are you?" Mario asked, more confused than frightened. "What are you doing here?"

The form elegantly descended from the sky and hovered calmly just inches above the smoldering crater. " _I am Ethros; the Eternal Star_." The same voice boomed the reply without hesitation.

"Ethros?" Luigi repeated, unfamiliar with the name. "Why are you here? Who are you?"

What was once a shapeless form began shifting and transitioning into the figure of a six foot tall, five point star. Two gold eyes peered out from Ethros' silver body. An aura of every color in the rainbow, as well other colors that the human eye couldn't detect, washed over Ethros in a steady pulse. " _I am here to ensure destiny will not be interfered, nor halted_."

"Destiny?" Mario questioned the motives of Ethros claims. "Are you referring to the prophecy?"

Ethros' gold eyes seemed to light up at the mention of the prophecy. " _Indeed I am_." It turned its body to face both Mario and Luigi who were standing side by side. " _You are the heroes_." It turned to look at Mario. " _Protector of Light_." Then turned to Luigi. " _Guardian of Darkness_."

Mario stepped toward Ethros, brushing off Luigi's hand as he attempted to keep Mario from getting too close. "We're here to keep the world from being destroyed. If that means we have to stop destiny, then we will."

"Mario..." Luigi whispered in a panicked manner to his brother. "Don't threaten it! We don't know what it's capable of!"

Ethros returned its gaze to Mario, its eyes reflecting its amusement. " _It is too late. Destiny is at hand_."

"No," Mario defied bitterly. "I refuse to let the world be destroyed!"

Luigi timidly stepped forward and stood at Mario's side. "...But what can we do? We're just-"

Ethros spun around wildly with a menacing laugh. A gust of wind from its body pushed the brothers backward, their boots digging into the mountain leaving gouge marks in the ashes. " _Reflect_." Ethros demanded as it suddenly came to a stop.

Mario and Luigi looked at each other with absolute confusion. Neither understood what Ethros had demanded.

" _Reflect_." Ethros called out even louder. " _Hero of Light_."

Mario squared his jaw defiantly as he glared at the cosmic entity. "Reflect, how?"

" _Hero of Light_ ," Ethros began. " _a clad warrior in red_." Ethros spun once more before staring down at Luigi. " _Guardian of Darkness, a warrior draped in green_."

Mario remained adamantly in place, refusing to back down. Luigi tentatively remained loyal at his brother's side.

" _Reflect_." Ethros bellowed in a deep, emotionless tone.

Mario shook his head. "We don't understand! What do you want from us?"

" _Truth_." Ethros answered simply but succinctly. " _Confess your true nature_."

Luigi wrung his hands together nervously. "Our true nature? Do you mean... our secrets?"

Ethros seemed to nod its entire body in approval. " _Confess_."

Mario again shook his head. "No! We have nothing to answer for. Not to you."

Ethros hovered down from the crater and came to a rest just inches from Mario's face. " _Red: The color of power and passion_." Luigi flinched as Ethros hovered over and stopped in front his face second. " _Green: The color of freewill and creativity_." Returning to the sky and above the crater Ethros continued. " _Mario, you seek to control your destiny. Luigi, you wish to endure your destiny_."

Luigi rubbed the back of his neck as he attempted to understand Ethros' angle. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"SH!" Mario grabbed Luigi's shoulder with a firm grip. "Don't say anything! Don't entertain him..."

Ethros began chuckling to himself. " _You've said enough, red warrior_." He taunted wickedly. " _Your nature has revealed itself, betraying your desire for control_."

"What're you talking about?" Mario released his grip on Luigi's shoulder and looked to Ethros. "I told you nothing!"

" _But you've shown me everything_." Ethros explained. " _Your true nature._ "

Mario was becoming visibly angered, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides. "Ethros, why are you doing this? Why does the world need to suffer?"

Ethros didn't respond to the question which only infuriated Mario further.

"Answer me!" Mario growled impatiently.

"Mario," Luigi attempted to be the voice of reason. "take it easy."

"'Take it easy'?!" Mario turned and glared at his own brother with an intensity Luigi had never seen before. "The world is at stake and all you can say is 'take it easy'?!" He turned away and scoffed. "Leave this to me."

"Mario..." Luigi was upset and shocked by his brother's reaction. "I'm trying to help."

"Help?" Mario shook his head. "How is standing at the sidelines and doing nothing, helping?"

"Hey!" Luigi was outright offended by Mario's callous outburst. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't going to help!"

"You wouldn't be here if _I_ hadn't gone first!" He turned back to his brother again, his eyes burning with rage.

Luigi felt himself growing hot with his own mounting anger. "You went first because you're stubborn and bullheaded!"

Mario raised his fists into an aggressive pose. "Watch yourself Luigi..." Mario warned. "Don't think I won't push you aside if I have to!"

"Push me aside? Like that's anything new!" Luigi retorted with an impressive snap. "I think it's you who needs to watch yourself. One of these days the people you push around are going to start pushing back!"

"Is that a threat?"

"More like a promise!"

Ethros chuckled even louder as it watched the two brothers fighting with each other. A powerful tremor from the crater rocked the mountain and widened the fissures that marred the surrounding land.

" _As I said_ ," Ethros interrupted. " _your true nature has revealed itself; red warrior._ "

Mario glared at the cosmic entity over his shoulder. "What 'nature'?"

"You're a control freak!" Luigi spat as he pointed accusingly at Mario, as Mario turned away from Ethros. "You always need to be in charge, you always lead every journey and you think you're the only one who can protect the Mushroom Kingdom!" He let his arm drop to his side and he bowed his head slightly, concealing his eyes in the shadow provided by the bill of his cap. "You can't let anyone do anything on their own..."

Mario gritted his teeth as the accusation stung more than he cared to admit. "I don't keep you from doing anything! You're the one who can't do anything _by yourself_!" Mario was livid and ready for a fight. "Don't blame me because you're always afraid!"

Ethros was silent but seemed very pleased by the tension it had caused with just a few choice words.

"I'm not always afraid!" Luigi defended. "I've been fighting at your side since the beginning! I've even carried you in battle after you were taken down!"

Mario brushed it off, refusing to admit to anything. "And _I'm_ the one who keeps Bowser in check! Every time he shows up you start shaking in your boots!"

"Oh really?" Luigi looked up again. "Well, if it wasn't for me you'd still be stuck in a painting in the basement of a haunted mansion!"

"And if it wasn't for _me,_ _you_ never would've had the courage to ask Daisy out on a date!"

"You're going to compare me _saving your life_ from a bunch of vindictive Boos, TWICE, to _dating advice_?" Luigi almost laughed at the notion. "Get real! Not to mention _me_ saving _you_ from Bowser's Castle after he took you hostage, or finding the cure to your Bean Fever, or helping find the remaining Power Stars when Bowser threatened the entire galaxy, or-"

"Just shut up!" Mario had heard enough. "It's not like I needed you to help me! I could've handled it by myself!"

Luigi was stunned into silence. ' _You don't need me_?' He thought to himself. ' _Fine_.' Luigi bowed his head and turned his gaze away. "Then handle it. I won't get in your way anymore."

Mario realized how much his words had hurt Luigi, but he was still too angry to apologize. "Good..."

Ethros spun around once and focused on Luigi. " _How does it feel to live in someone's shadow_?"

Luigi looked up at the star with heavy sorrow pooling in his eyes.

"Is it cold? Is it dark? Perhaps lonely?" Ethros continued to bait the bickering brothers. "While Mario lives in the glory of the light you're forced to linger behind in the darkness. Never the hero, never appreciated, never even thanked..."

Luigi bowed his head again as the weight of Ethros' words crushed his heart. ' _It's true_.' Luigi admitted to himself. ' _Everything Ethros said is true_...'

" _You are the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom, but everyone knows you only as Mario's little brother. They cannot even be bothered to remember your name_."

Luigi's heart felt heavier with each word that passed Ethros' unseen lips. Mario kept his silence, refusing to defend Luigi or deny Ethros' accusations.

" _You have lived in the shadows for so long that the darkness has seeped into your very being_."

"No." Luigi quietly shook his head in defiance. "I'm not a creature of the dark."

" _Oh_?" Ethros bemusedly toyed with the irresolute brother has another tremor split the mountain peak. " _With a simple trick of the mind you had unleashed a darkness within your heart. A darkness you identified as merely "Mr. L", did you not_?"

Luigi flinched and his shoulders sagged sadly. "It wasn't my idea. Or my choice."

" _But the power rests within you. A power that had only been tapped for a brief period. A power that allowed you to survive events, to survive battles_ ," Ethros was enjoying Luigi's torment all too well. " _a power that let you survive your brother's assault_."

Ethros spun around wildly and hovered downward, planting itself between Mario and Luigi. A surge of energy flowed from Ethros and enveloped the divided brothers in a cloud of unbridled cosmic power.

Mario tensed as a gold aura emanated from his heart and covered his entire body in a gilded flare. His eyes glowing brightly with new inner strength.

Luigi stood up straight as a deep, black darkness was forced from his heart and snaked over his body against his will. His entire form became as black as night, a living shadow. Where his blue eyes once looked out were now two white dots.

Mario raised his hand and ignited an orange fireball that flashed into a sphere of gold. Luigi pointed his fingers as a bolt of green lightning sparked to life, shifting into a deep purple hue.

Ethros rose back up into the sky, positioning itself above the crater. " _Light and Darkness. Two conflicting forces that have waged war against one another since the dawn of time. One cannot exist without the other, but the two can never occupy the same place at the same time. The war rages on. Warriors rise and warriors fall. In the end only one will remain_."

With a single swift motion the golden fire scorched across the sky as the amethyst lightning thundered in a mighty crash over the mountain peak.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	5. Tearing Apart

When fire met thunder in the mountains the entire Mushroom Kingdom below trembled under the force of the tremendous impact. The already weakened buildings in Toad Town began to shift on their foundations and crumble into the streets. The Castle's marble walls fractured like glass and spilled dust from every new opening. Panicked Toads began barricading themselves in what remained of their homes in a desperate attempt to survive, or at the very least, avoid the clash atop Dark Mountain.

Still secured within the secret chamber of the Castle both Princess Peach and Toadsworth felt the intensity of the battle while remaining unaware of its cause. The Castle shook with each strike miles away. Cracks and imperfections in the marble pillars and walls widened steadily, allowing a fine trickle of dust to pile on the floors.

"Toadsworth," Peach had wisely returned to the large, stone table and held onto the edge with both hands, tight! "what's happening now?!"

"I-I-I don't know!" Toadsworth had lost his pipe when the Castle shook, and he too was clutching onto the table from the opposite side of Peach in attempt to stay on his feet. "Perhaps Masters Mario and Luigi have become engaged in combat!"

"That would explain the thunder..." Peach remarked in a somewhat calmer demeanor. "but what kind of force could shake the entire town despite being so far away?"

"I'm not sure about that, either, my dear." Toadsworth braced himself for another violent tremor and locked his gaze with Peach's. "How I wish we could find more information about the prophecy! Only then could we help our brave heroes..."

Peach nodded sadly, her blue eyes filled with tears that glistened in the glow of the candle light. "I wish for their safe return, and the for the safety of my people."

Toadsworth tentatively reached across the table and put his hand over hers. "Don't lose hope! As long as Masters Mario and Luigi continue fighting our destinies can still be changed!"

* * *

Outside the relative security of Castle the world continued to tear itself apart. Fear and mistrust tore the peaceful community of Toad Town to shreds as the city began disappearing into a pile of ruins.

The outer lands were left oblivious to the fallen comet and the prophecy. The denizens that had made their homes outside Toad Town were now full of doubt and began speculating that the calamity was the direct result of a sneak attack.

No one trusted anyone else. No one was willing to assist their own out of panic induced paranoia and hysteria.

Whatever hoped had remained in the world was beginning to fade away into nothingness.

* * *

Peach reluctantly released her grip from the sturdy table and clumsily returned to the wall to study the tapestry with the red hero on display. She needed to find an answer but she didn't know what question she needed to ask!

Studying the image carefully Peach took in every detail and tried to understand each one's unique purpose.

"Why is the hero in red? Could he really represent Mario?" Peach wondered out loud, hoping that maybe her thoughts could inspire Toadsworth. "And why is he holding only half of a single star? What kind of star is it, and where did it come from?"

Toadsworth had a flash of eureka shining in his aged eyes. "By Jove, Princess!" He excitedly clambered for his dropped pipe on the floor beneath the table. "I do believe you're onto something!"

* * *

Embers of gold fire rained down and scorched the already decimated mountain peak as the enraged Mario launched fireball after fireball at the shadowed Luigi. Spark of purple dazzled the night sky as powerful bolts of lightning struck the earth, electrifying the stones as the shadowed Luigi attempted to strike down the enraged Mario.

The two brothers were evenly matched.

Mario's accuracy and determination were perfectly countered by Luigi's agility and creativity.

While Mario aimed directly for Luigi, Luigi always positioned himself in front of large boulders or downed trees to ensure the fireballs struck a secondary target leaving him unscathed. Whenever Luigi launched a bolt of lightning Mario bravely stood his ground until the last possible second before launching his own projectile in an attempt to strike when Luigi's guard was down during his own attack.

Ethros had been watching in silent amusement as the two brothers waged war against one another. Neither brother was paying any mind to the powerful cosmic deity, who hovered precariously over the downed comet.

" _Mario, why do you toy with_ him?" Ethros baited viciously, without remorse. " _With your skills anyone who challenges you should be defeated immediately_. _You are the true hero, he is timid and useless. He is the one who weighs you down._ "

The commentary only fueled the fire that burned with unbridled intensity in Mario's heart.

" _Luigi_ ," Ethros next addressed the younger of the two brothers. " _why do you hold back? You are more powerful than Mario could ever hope to be. Why do you hinder your own abilities to remain on Mario's lesser level_? _Are you not tired of being forced to live in his shadow_?"

Mario's anger, an truly brutal and intense anger that he had only previously felt toward Bowser when he had threatened the lives of Luigi or Peach, was now being inexplicably directed at Luigi himself. "Stop resisting!" Mario's own voice seemed to carry an echo of a second voice as shouted from the top of a boulder that was simmering from heat. "Don't make me hurt you!"

"Hurt me?!" Luigi responded, his voice also carrying an echo as he stood on the side of a fallen tree. "Since when have you ever cared about me!" Luigi launched another bolt of lightning at Mario. "You can't even be bothered to thank me when I've saved your life! You selfish, ungrateful-"

"Ungrateful?!" Mario's retort was loud and distinct as he nimbly avoided the lightning without breaking a sweat. "I've never been more grateful for anything in my life!" His fireball screamed across the sky as it missed Luigi but caused the tree to erupt into a flash of gilded flames. "I'm a hero who spends time in a Castle with a beautiful Princess!" He launched another fireball to Luigi, who had previously leapt to another fallen tree. "How could you say anything different?"

"You've forgotten your true roots!" Luigi accused angrily as he skillfully jumped from one tree to the next, the fireballs never touching him as he maneuvered swiftly. "You've forgotten all about your own family! And everything we've been through together..." Luigi kneeled on the top of a massive, charred tree stump. "Why did I ever risk myself for someone as selfish as you?"

"Selfish? Since when is putting my life on the line for everyone else selfish? And risk?" Mario stood tall on the boulder and formed a massive fireball that engulfed his entire fist. "Since when have you ever taken a risk in your life?"

"Guess you're right about that," Luigi glared bitterly at Mario as the purple lightning in his palm enveloped his entire hand and began stretching up his arm. "a risk implies that something or someone I care about could be lost. And right now I don't care about you! Not anymore!"

The brothers put all their energy into their fire and thunder as they took massive leaps into the air and flew directly at one another. As their fists collided, fiery knuckles making direct contact with the electrified opposite, a blast of explosive energy was unleashed! Deafening thunder, blinding light, choking smoke and a earth splitting quake resulted from their rampage.

Mario and Luigi were lost in the thick smoke, neither of them were left standing victorious at the end of their conflict.

Ethros chuckled manically to itself as it spun around, blowing the smoke away. The site revealed beyond the smoke was a land torn apart by battle, scarred and disfigured by fire and thunder. The thick, ashen ground was caked with drops of fresh blood.

" _Good. Very good_." Ethros declared wickedly as he hovered down and out of the crater, floating in the center of the battleground between the downed combatants. " _Just as the prophecy foretold_..."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	6. Regret

The smoke gradually cleared from the tarnished battleground revealing the unconscious bodies of the two rampaging combatants. Mario and Luigi, still enveloped in their light and shadowed auras, laid splayed defenselessly on their backs in the individual craters that formed after their bodies impacted into the fractured mountain. Acrid, stinging ozone lingered in the air as the choking smoke thinned into a veil that exposed the carnage initiated by the downed comet, and worsened by the unexpected, unnecessary brawl between heroes; between brothers.

Ethros was pleased by the chaotic battle between Mario and Luigi. " _As the stars have decreed, this world will be torn in twain. Light and Darkness will be the dividing factor; but only one will survive_." Spinning in midair a strange wind blew over the peak, stirring the ashes and smoldering embers into a whirlwind of an enigmatic glow.

As the fiery breeze passed over the bodies of the two heroes, Luigi began to stir and regain consciousness. Lifting his head up from the ground he slowly sat himself upright and pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead, pressing just above his left eye. "M...Mario?" He asked weakly, confusedly as he glanced about the peak. "Mario, where are you?"

Ethros realized Luigi had come to and positioned itself between the two brothers. " _Awake at last, 'Shadow'_." It taunted in a low voice. " _Why do you concern yourself with the fate of Mario? You are still standing. You are victorious_."

Luigi glared at Ethros, his white eyes burning with anger. "Because he's my brother! That's why!" He dropped his hand from his head as his shadowy aura began to fade. A trickle of fresh blood ran down the side of his face to his chin. "Move it!"

Shoved to the Ethros spun and watched as Luigi clumsily walked over to where Mario was still laying unconsciously. " _Do not deny your destiny, Guardian of the Darkness_."

Ignoring Ethros Luigi lifted Mario's head up from the ground and cradled him in his arms. "Mario? Mario!" Luigi patted the side of Mario's face in an attempt rouse him back to consciousness. "Wake up, please."

" _It is useless_." Ethros hovered directly behind Luigi's shoulder menacingly. " _The battle is over. The victor has been declared_."

Luigi shook his head sadly, his eyes fixed on Mario's expressionless face as his head rested against Luigi's forearm. "No... Not like this!"

* * *

Peach and Toadsworth continuously studied the tapestries with dedicated eyes. Just as the initial image of the hero in red tied to the prophecy, a second image could provide a possible answer to the many questions that desperately needed an answer. An answer that could possibly prevent the end of the world. But it seemed the answers remained just as silent as the tapestries themselves.

"There has to be something we've overlooked." Peach refused to give up hope, even as it dwindled steadily away. "Is there anything more to the prophecy?"

Toadsworth puffed on his pipe as he eyed the ancient words on the scroll in front of him over and over again. "I'm afraid not, my dear. All that has been written seems to be quite accurate. Impressively so I might add, though I wish it weren't the case."

Pressing her folded hands to her lips Peach closed her eyes and let a single tear run down her cheek. "We must keep looking!" She declared as she opened her eyes and stared at the red warrior on the tapestry in front of her. "There must be a second half to this tapestry. A new set of clues to help us find an answer."

"I agree." Toadsworth hobbled over to the Princess, leaning on his cane with one hand and the other on the end of the pipe clenched between his teeth. "But we've checked each tapestry in the chamber multiple times and have found no new information. Perhaps the second tapestry has been lost, or perhaps it had never been finished."

"No." Peach disagreed with a simple shake of her head. "If the second half of this tapestry was never finished, then this tapestry would be the last in line." She turned her gaze to her Ward. "After all, these tapestries were created to chronicle the history and future of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Toadsworth nodded once. "True. I suppose the additional tapestries beyond _this_ tapestry means we can change the future." With a sincere, broad smile of approval Toadsworth casually turned on his heel to return to the table and the scroll. "Hang onto your hope my Princess. May it serve you well."

Peach smiled at his comforting words as her focus returned to the tapestry. Scanning over the embroidered and impressively detailed fabric Peach's eye took in every fiber, every color and every stitch used to create the magnificent image. It was then Peach noticed something peculiar about the golden, fibrous ropes that lined the sides of the tapestry and secured it to the wall.

"Toadsworth, look at this." Peach put both of her hands on the bottom corners of the tapestry and delicately turned the image over. "I found it! The second half of the tapestry!"

On the back on the first tapestry was it's missing half. The second tapestry aligned perfectly with it's primary counterpart on the opposite side. A second warrior with the second half of the star in his hand mirrored the primary image in perfect detail.

"By Jove, that's it!" Toadsworth stared in awe at the newly revealed image.

"And look," Peach pointed to the coloration of the second warrior's clothing. "green. Just like Luigi!"

* * *

Luigi gently laid Mario back down on the ground and stood up feeling ashamed of his actions. The shadowy aura that had tapped into the power he had refused to acknowledge had faded considerably, but it lingered just enough to keep his body consumed in a layer of darkness. Looking at the palms of his hands Luigi began to tremble with fear.

"What have I done?" Backing away from Mario he turned his back in guilt to his downed brother. "I... I hurt him." He all but whispered.

Ethros put itself in front of Luigi, keeping the reluctant victor from leaving the battleground entirely. " _You are victorious. No more will you be seen as the lesser brother. You have proven your superiority. You have proven your worth to decide the fate of the world_." Ethros spun around once and continued to praise Luigi. " _Choose now the fate of the world that had forgotten you. The world that never appreciated you. The world that has taken all of the gifts it has been given for granted. Choose. Choose how to reshape this world, and all those who dwell upon it_."

Luigi shook his head in refusal. "No." The shadowy aura over his body faded further. "I... I don't want anything to change. Just leave the world alone!" Luigi watched his palms instinctively clench into tight fists. "You've done enough damage. I won't be responsible for any more destruction!"

Ethros was displeased with Luigi's response. " _You wish to keep a petty, squabbling world as it is? You have the power to change it. Change it into the world that you want, into the world that you deserve_."

Luigi glanced over his shoulder at Mario still laying unconscious in the smaller crater. "I've done enough."

The shadowy aura faded completely from Luigi, revealing the physical damage he had received as a result of the battle. The glove of his right hand was scorched and torn into tatters exposing his burned, bleeding fingertips, knuckles and the palm of his hand. The right sleeve had also been burned away, allowing his charred and bruised wrist and forearm to be seen.

Ethros let out a bellow of anger that shook the entire mountain with it's sinister echo.

Luigi pressed his hands over his ears and fell to his knees as the intense sound wave incapacitated the exhausted hero.

" _You are a FOOL; Guardian of Darkness_!" Ethros declared bitterly. Hovering back into the sky over the crater of the downed comet Ethros began drawing energy from the fallen cosmic stone. " _You have openly denied your fate. I cannot allow this to pass_."

"Wh-what's happening?!" Luigi nearly yelled as the ringing in his ears left him temporarily deaf to the world around him. He could feel the mountain shaking and the wind stirring up the warm ash as Ethros drew in immense amounts of energy.

The violent activity was enough to rouse Mario from his state of unconsciousness. Sitting upright, leaning on his elbows, Mario watched as Ethros began storing power and watched as Luigi kneeled down in front of the manipulative star.

"Luigi, what are you doing?!" Mario created a fireball and aimed it at his brother, completely unaware of what had happened while he was unconscious.

Luigi couldn't hear Mario over the sound of blustering wind, let alone through the high pitched ringing.

"Luigi! Don't make me... Please! Don't do this!" Mario slowly pulled himself from the ground and into a single knee kneeling position in his crater. "Don't listen to Ethros!"

Through the strong gusts of wind Luigi attempted to stand up. Attempted to stand against Ethros and it's desire to destroy the world.

"I'm... I'm sorry Weege..." Mario let loose his golden fireball and watched with a tear in his eye as it easily, and accurately, found it's target.

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	7. Two Sides

With the second half of the missing tapestry located both Peach and Toadsworth meticulously began inspecting the intricate imagery for any underlying clues that tied to the written prophecy on the ancient scroll. The revelation of the second warrior seemed to tie into the written words mentioning a clash atop that would divide the world. Who were these two warriors? Were they truly depictions of Mario and Luigi? If so, could they really destroy the world in a single battle?

An immense flash of golden fire lit up the dark sky with such a bright glow that it penetrated the ever widened cracks that marred the exterior of the Castle. The dark chamber was bathed in rays of amber light that veined throughout secluded chamber that housed the tapestries and scroll.

"Toadsworth, I'm worried." Peach confessed as she anxiously bit at her lower lip, the amber glow reflecting off her long blonde hair.

"Has something shaken your faith?" The elderly Ward asked the younger Princess as he gazed through the fading glow. "You seem a shade pale."

"I have the strangest feeling that something terrible has happened." She pressed her hand over her heart. "I can sense it."

* * *

The massive fireball struck it's target with unimpeded force. Stray embers showered over the peak as the fireball engulfed the unsuspecting figure with a cosmically enhanced blaze. Without a word the figure was forced backward and onto the ground, smoldering gilded flames slowly burning away.

Ethros only laughed triumphantly. " _The blood of the innocent_..."

Mario's hand lowered and the glowing aura that had enveloped his body steadily faded away revealing the same injuries on his hand and forearm as Luigi. His glove and sleeve were tattered, charred remnants that hung pitifully from from his hand and arm. "Lu... Luigi?" He stammered with unbridled remorse choking his words.

" _Has been spilled_."

"No!" Mario rushed from where he had been kneeling to Luigi's side. Sliding on his knees to Luigi's body Mario pressed his hand over Luigi's chest and called his name desperately. "Luigi! Luigi, please, no!"

Coughing Luigi put his hand over top Mario's and looked at his brother's mournful face. "M-Mario?"

"Bro!" Mario bowed and shook his head in a fit of regret. "I'm so sorry! I thought... I thought..."

"It's okay..." Luigi slurred, his chest heaving with pained breaths. "I know you didn't... want to. Didn't... mean to." He coughed again, drops of blood staining his lips as a result. "Ethros... tricked you. Tricked us..."

Mario felt a tear rolling down his face as the full weight of the damage began crushing his heart. "I... I should've listened to you."

Luigi weakly shook his head as he blinked slowly. "No. You were right." Luigi forced himself to smile. "I should've... been more careful."

"Luigi?" Mario watched as Luigi's eyes closed and felt as his breathing weakened. "Bro?"

"F-forgive me." Luigi managed to whisper as his weak hand managed to grip Mario's. "I should've... trusted you. You always looked out... for me. For all of us."

Mario's other hand lifted Luigi's head up from the ground, flakes of ash falling from strands of Luigi's hair and cap. "Please. Don't leave me. I need you, I NEED YOU!"

Luigi opened his eyes again, the bright blue of his eyes now dull and unfocused. "No. You don't need me... You never... have. Don't... Don't change who you are." His eyes closed. "Don't change..."

Mario's heart iced over as he felt Luigi's final breath escape his dying body. "Luigi...?"

Ethros hovered over Mario, the compiled cosmic energy from the fallen comet now emanating from all five points of it's body. " _It is done. The world shall end as the Light consumes Darkness, blinding all those who resist_."

Mario laid Luigi's head down on the ground and watched as his brother's lifeless body lolled about on the disturbed ash. Mario pressed his head down against the top of Luigi's hand as he began silently sobbing, mourning the death of his brother. It seemed even the warm kindness that was Luigi's heart wasn't enough to keep his broken body from growing cold. So cold.

" _Victory for the Hero of Light_."

At those words Mario lifted his head, a fire of pure rage burning in his eyes. Standing up slowly he turned to face Ethros with an unparalleled hatred that his heart could barely contain. "Victory?" Mario questioned bitterly. "You claim that spilling the blood of the innocent is a victory?!"

Ethros only stared at Mario with a sense of superiority. " _What has been done, has been done. Do not mourn for the past, instead embrace the future. A future bathed in Light_."

Mario looked back down at Luigi and tightened his battered hands into fists. "Any Light of your would burn the world into ashes." Turning back to Ethros the same dark, shadowy aura that had once enveloped Luigi was now shrouding Mario in a new renewed power. Extending one hand Mario created a fireball of shadow fire. The fireball was a deep amethyst purple and it burned with an intensity never seen by Mario before.

Ethros was visibly intimidated. Hovering away from Mario and back into the night sky the Eternal Star used its stored cosmic energy to create a force field of light to protect itself. " _You are the Hero of Light, how can you channel the Darkness as easily as you do the Light_?"

Mario stared at Ethros through the flickering purple flames. "Luigi is the Guardian of Darkness. He is my brother. My twin. We share the same power. The deeper the Darkness, the brighter the Light. One can't exist without the other." Kneeling down beside Luigi once again Mario reabsorbed the purple fireball into his body and pressed his hand against Luigi's stilled chest. "And I can't exist without him."

The shadowy aura faded as it crept from Mario's hand and shrouded Luigi in the same Dark energy that been born from Mario's heart.

"What is this?" Ethros asked angrily as he watched the two heroes once again defy the prophecy. "Do not resist your fate!"

"C'mon Luigi..." Mario gently coaxed his brother. "Come back to me. To me, to Daisy, to Peach and Yoshi..." He looked up through the aura and to the bright stars that dotted the sky overhead. "for all of us."

* * *

Peach and Toadsworth struggled to understand the purpose of the second tapestry. Namely, why was it hidden behind the first tapestry? What's the significance of the half-stars that the two warrior held in their hands?

Curiously Peach took a step back from the tapestry and used her fingers to visually measure the image, noticing that the depiction seemed unbalanced.

"Toadsworth, why does the image on the second tapestry look like it's pushed more to the right instead of being centralized?" She lowered her hands and pressed a finger to her chin as she pondered the possibilities. "It almost looks like there should be another scene to the left of the warrior."

"Hmm... I wonder." Toadsworth reached up and lifted the bottom of the tapestry away from the wall. "My goodness, Princess!" He excitedly pointed to his discovery. "This second tapestry wasn't added to the back of the first, it is in fact it's own tapestry that was discreetly attached to the back of the first."

"Let's pull them apart." Peach suggested. "We must study these images side by side! I'm certain we'll find our answer!"

* * *

The darkness steadily faded away leaving Mario's shadowy energy drained into nothingness, with Luigi lifeless on the ground next to the exhausted hero.

" _Fool!_ " Ethros declared wickedly as he concentrated a beam of energy at the point at the top of its head. " _You have wasted your power. Now because of your arrogance, you too, shall die_."

"I killed Luigi." Mario never took his eyes from Luigi. "At least I'll get the punishment I deserve." Placing his hand under Luigi's head he lifted his brother's body up from the ground and cradled him in his arms. "I tried, bro. But I'm not strong enough. Not on my own..."

Ethros took aim at Mario's back, willing to shoot the defenseless man like a coward. The loosed beam of cosmic energy was a mixture of both Light and Darkness, with a secondary beam of thousands of colors twisting over it. The beam was bright, strong and on target.

Mario closed his eyes as he awaited the burning pain of the attack to sear into his flesh, stopping his heart and mercifully ending his life. But the pain never came. Instead he heard the distinct sound of thunder crashing over the mountains and the indistinct sound of two energy sources colliding with one another.

" _NO! This cannot be_!" Ethros angrily bellowed over the peak. " _The prophecy cannot be changed! This is impossible_!"

Opening his eyes Mario saw that Luigi's arm was extended outward, his two forefingers aimed at Ethros. A small trickle of smoke wisping away from his fingertips. "Lu-Luigi?! You're..."

Slowly Luigi's eyes opened, the unfocused gaze of his blue eyes steadily regained life as did the rest of his body. Blinking once to clear his vision he looked at Mario who was just staring with tearful disbelief down at him. "Mario...?"

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	8. Together

Peach and Toadsworth had patiently worked together to lower the first tapestry from the wall, and gently lay it out over the top of the stone table. Returning to the wall they now worked in perfect synchronization to do the same to the second tapestry, laying it next to the first on the table. The scroll with the ominous prophecy resting above the two tapestries. The trio of the ancient inscriptions now together for the first time in thousands of years, each showing their impressive age under the layers of untouched dust and fading colors.

"Look here," Peach pointed at the off-center image on the second tapestry. "it looks like something should fit over the left side. Perhaps another tapestry?"

Toadsworth nodded in agreement. "I do believe you correct. In fact..." Toadsworth took care with investigating the faded backgrounds of the tapestries. "it appears the landscape behind the warriors line up with one another, perfectly!"

"Oh?" Peach focused on the background as well.

"I wonder..." Toadsworth carefully slid the first tapestry over onto the left side of the second tapestry. As he lined up the two images a third image was revealed. "By Jove!"

"Toadsworth, you did it!" Peach exclaimed with enthusiastic glee. "Now it makes sense!"

With the first tapestry now laying atop the second, the two warriors were now standing side by side. The first half of the star in the red warrior's hand lined up with the second half of the star in the green warriors hand. The star had been restored to a single piece.

"The star is whole again." Peach pointed to the restored item. "But why does it's shadow looks a little strange."

"Indeed." Toadsworth pulled the candle closer to the image. "It doesn't look as though the shadow has anything to do with the star at all. Why is it there?"

"And why did the two warriors carry it in two halves? What possible purpose could that serve?"

* * *

Dropping his hand and arm to his side Luigi just looked up at Mario with a sense of relief in his eyes. Neither really knew what to say or how to react, but just being together again was enough for them both in that single moment of trepidation.

"Luigi, you're alive!" Mario found his voice as he helped his revived brother to sit up on his own. "I... Thank you." Mario struggled to control his emotions as he watched his brother's strength return. "You saved my life."

"You saved mine." Luigi commented casually as he pressed his hand to his chest. The burn from Mario's fireball was still sore but it had healed considerably courtesy of Mario's offered energy. "Thanks for looking out for me, bro."

"Always."

Ethros let out another bellow that echoed over the mountains and deafened all of those in range of his malevolent voice. " _No! This cannot be! It has been written_!"

Mario and Luigi exchanged confident glances and nodded. Rising to his feet Mario extended his charred hand for Luigi to take. Accepting his brother's grip the duo stood side by side, undeterred by Ethros' arrogant outburst. Neither brother backed down or even shed a bead of sweat as the massive cosmic foe floated down from the crater and came to a halt before the two unflinching duo.

Mario ignited a relatively weak, orange fireball in the palm of his hand as he prepared for a possible battle. Luigi mirrored his brother's every move without even looking, forming a flickering ball of green electrical energy is his own hand.

" _You wish to challenge me_?" Ethros snarled with a palpable rage in it's tone.

Without a word both Mario and Luigi launched their attacks in perfect unison. The fireball struck Ethros in the center of its star shaped body, engulfing the enigmatic foe with a shroud of flames. The lightning bolt course through Ethros' body, snaking green currents of electricity within the orange flames.

Ethros spun itself in a circle very quickly, blowing out the flames and discharging the lightning into the ground beneath. " _Very well_..." Ethros stopped spinning and glared at Mario and Luigi with absolute disgust in it's hollow eyes. " _Then it shall be done_."

Drawing what little energy still remained inside the core of the downed comet Ethros became enveloped in an aura of cosmic energy that instantly healed its body of the damage recently inflicted by Mario and Luigi's attacks. Hovering up into the night sky Ethros focused a single beam of pure energy at the central point on its body above its face.

" _For your insolence, you two shall die._ " Unleashing the cosmic beam at the heroic brothers, Ethros smugly smiled knowing that his energy would easily decimate anything and anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in its path.

Without any difficulty both brothers manged to jump up and away from the attack, launching attacks of their own in the process. Fire and lightning crashed violently into Ethros' body. The fire burning the wicked star while the lightning stopped the cosmic beam before it could reach the ground.

Blinded by fire Ethros began shooting cosmic beams in any and all directions in a desperate, futile attempt to strike the two combatants.

"Hey Weege," Mario addressed his brother as they continued to evade beam after beam of powerful energy. "I think if you hit Ethros dead center with your lightning it'll drain it of all it's power!"

"What makes you say that?" Luigi questioned as he launched another bolt of lightning into the energy beams.

"Because that lightning of yours is enough to completely disrupt it's attack! If you hit it's body that should be enough to take it down permanently!"

"I don't think I have the energy to take him down with one hit!" Luigi confessed as he side stepped another beam. "I'd need to put everything I have into it, and if I miss..."

"You won't miss!" Mario confirmed with a thumb's up. "I'll get it's attention, you hit it!"

"You sure?"

"Positive!" Mario formed another fireball in his hand. "Trust me!"

Luigi nodded once and charged up his Thunder Hand in response. "Let's do it!"

"Follow my lead!" Mario charged toward Ethros who continued to launch beams that came dangerously close to striking Mario.

Luigi strategically launched smaller bolts of lightning to at the beams to ensure Mario had a clear path, while keeping a powerful bolt ready to strike when Mario gave him the ideal opportunity.

" _Fools_!" Ethros repeated as he evidently struggled to gain an advantage over the brothers. " _Do not deny your fate_!"

Mario refuted the claim as he launched fireball after fireball through the dust and dirt clouds stirred up by the cosmic beams. "We don't believe in fate!"

" _Then what do you you believe_?" Ethros demanded as he focused solely on Mario, only to let out another loud bellow. This time, however, it was a bellow of pain as it's body was overcome with a sudden flow of green electricity that had unexpectedly struck it from behind. " _NOT... POSSIBLE_!"

"Destiny." Luigi answered bluntly as Ethros lost it's ability to hover and went crashing into the peak between himself and Mario. "Fate is to be condemned."

"Destiny is to be chosen." Mario explained as he approached the fallen opponent. "We chose to fight back."

"We chose to change the prophecy." Luigi tagged on as he stepped closer to Ethros as well.

"And we chose to stop you." Mario stood over Ethros who was on it's back, staring up at the two brothers who had grounded it. "If given the chance, we'd choose the same thing all over again."

Ethros lost it's aura and shut it's eyes as it's dwindling strength finally left it's body. The green current of electricity fading away into nothing more than a green scar that snaked over it's body.

"Luigi," Mario looked at his brother standing on the other side of Ethros' body. "I'm sorry. I should've trusted you more. And... I..." Mario bowed his head sadly as he pulled the bill of his cap down over his eyes.

"Mario, I don't blame you." Luigi attempted to ease his brother's guilt. "You saw me and Ethros together after being knocked cold. I know what it looked like, and I understand why you did what... Well, did what you thought you had to do."

"You... you forgive me?" Mario stammered with heavy remorse in his choking voice.

"Kind of hard to forgive someone you never blamed, but sure! I forgive you!" Luigi smiled. "Besides, you're the reason I'm even here. You brought me back, bro. I heard your voice calling me. I could never leave you behind."

Mario looked up and smiled as he readjusted his cap. "Thanks, Weege. I'm also sorry for all the things I said. And you were right, I should've been more grateful."

Luigi blushed a little. "It's okay, really. I know I'm pretty much a big green chicken at times, but I'm starting to get over my fears thanks to you. Besides, it's not like we're actually keeping score or anything!"

"Well, not when you've already saved me so many times!" Mario teased warmly. "I'd never catch up!"

"Come on," Luigi motioned with his hand for Mario to join him. "the Princess is waiting."

"Peach." Mario smiled at the thought of seeing her again. "Yeah. She has to be worried sick about us!"

Walking together to the edge of the mountain the two prepared for the awkward descent back to the foot of the mountains. Luigi stared at the broken town below with a pained curiosity. "I wonder if-"

The peak began to rumble and a wave of energy swept over the mountains. Mario and Luigi were knocked off their feet as an immense surge of cosmic energy engulfed Ethros.

"What's going on?!" Luigi asked as his blue eyes widened with fear as he stared at the comet's crater and at Ethros'.

"No idea!" Mario confessed, his own eyes just as wide as he focused on Ethros as well..

With a burst of cosmic light Ethros hovered up from the peak with a new, bright aura of cosmic energy surrounding its body. As it floated upward the incredible energy from the aura caused loose stones, smoldering embers and droplets of water pulled right out of the air to float around it like the charged particles of an atom.

" _Hero of Light, Guardian of Darkness_..." Ethros called out to the seemingly victorious brothers below. " _It is not yet over_."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	9. Taking the Lead

Ethros had managed to draw the remaining cosmic energy from deep within the core of the downed comet and was now using it to restore, if not completely regenerate it's body. Hovering above the temporarily victorious brother Ethros glared with a stern bitterness through the cloud of dirt at it's still standing opponents below.

" _Prepare yourselves_." Ethros demanded as the rocks, water and ash continued to rotate around it's body in an elemental band. " _This battle ends now_."

Mario and Luigi stood their ground with unbreakable determination. Mario formed a flickering, yellow fireball in the palm of his hand while Luigi summoned a green orb of lightning. Mario's power was noticeably weaker than Luigi's, but neither brother was phased by the hint of the dwindling strength.

"Let's go!" Mario demanded as he and Luigi defiantly refused to back down from the challenge.

Ethros spun around once and unleashed a shock wave of cosmic energy that stunned the brothers. Mario and Luigi dug in their heels and used their free hands to shield their eyes from the attack as they slid backward on the loose terrain.

" _Fate has spoken_!" Ethros declared as it unleashed another blast of its cosmic beam at the two heroes.

Dodging the beam Mario unleashed his fireball only to have it bounce away from Ethros without inflicting so much as a scratch thanks to the sturdy defense provided by circling stones.

"No good..." Mario admitted as he landed safely out of range of the attack. "My fire can't get through his shield!"

"Don't worry about it." Luigi landed next to Mario with his green lightning still in his palm. "You rest. Regain your strength while I wear it out!"

"Are you sure about-"

"Trust me." Luigi nodded sincerely.

"Alright." Mario put his hand on Luigi's shoulder. "This time, you lead!"

* * *

From the secluded secret chamber of the Castle the two combined tapestries and the scroll were being carefully studied by the keen eyes of Princess Peach and Toadsworth. The dim glow of the candle ebbed away as the wick burned away, centimeter by centimeter. A symbolically appropriate light for the duo to research by.

"Why does the star's shadow look so odd?" Peach wondered out loud as she stared at the peculiar detail of the two connected images. "There must be a reason behind it. Perhaps the shadow conceals another clue."

"Hmm..." Toadsworth re-lit his pipe and took a deep puff as he too focused on the images. "The prophecy does speak of light and darkness," he put his finger on the prophecy as written on the scroll. "I imagine the shadows would be important in the detailed imagery as it ties to the prophetic words."

"There must be a secret we've overlooked." Peach decided, her hope beginning to evidently fade as she spoke. "Mario. Luigi. Please, come back to us." Approaching the far wall where a large crack had formed and increasingly widened, Peach gazed out through the chamber, past the crumbling Toad Town and to the glowing peak of the Black Mountains. The light from the other side cast softly over her lovely face like the glow of a dying sunset. "We still need you. I need you!"

* * *

Emerald green lightning bolts bombarded Ethros as the star shaped entity relentlessly blasted at the two heroes with it's cosmic beams. Despite Luigi's best efforts his lightning was unable to inflict any damage upon Ethros as the foe's shield deflected any and all attacks without fail. The peak was scarred by fire and lightning, and large divots peppered the terrain as Ethros' energy tore up the natural landscape.

Ethros charged another beam and targeted the younger brother with a sense of self righteousness. " _You are weak_!" It declared as it honed in on Luigi, the various sized stones that surrounded its body shielding it from further attacks.

"Not as weak as you think!" Luigi retorted as he easily sidestepped the beams without breaking stride. "It'll take more than just you to stop us!"

"Right!" Mario agreed as he jumped up and over Ethros' head, landing on a large boulder floating above. With a single strong kick from his legs Mario forced the boulder to drop from it's orbit and crash against the top of Ethros' pointed head.

" _GAH_!" Ethros cried out in pain as the boulder struck it's target. A fracture appeared at the top of Ethros' head and ran downward between it's eyes.

"Nice one, bro!" Luigi complimented Mario's brilliant move.

"Thanks!" Mario landed beside his brother igniting a stronger orange fireball in the palm of hand. "Now, let's finish this!"

Nodding confidently Luigi formed an orb of electricity in his own palm and leapt boldly up into the air toward Ethros. Mario followed close behind with his fire primed and ready to strike at the attacking star.

Luigi's lightning found it's mark between Ethros' eyes. The surge of electricity wasn't able to inflict any damage due to Ethros' remaining shield, but the brightness of the attack was enough to temporarily blind and stun him.

"Go, Mario!" Luigi shouted as he cleared the jump over Ethros and landed behind the star, forming another ball of electricity.

Launching his fireball Mario's flames quickly engulfed the ash that encircled Ethros like a match dropped into oil. The shield that once protected Ethros was now harming it. Mario landed at Ethros' right side and attempted to form another fireball, but his lacking strength make the process slow and laborious.

" _NO_!" Ethros bellowed angrily as it spun around in attempt to blow out the flames. Coming to a stop Ethros glared at Mario with pure hatred in its scorched eyes. " _You will all perish by my power_!"

Mario leapt backward as Ethros charged and fired another cosmic beam. The powerful attack missed Mario by inches as Ethros became steadily more erratic and unpredictable with its movements.

"Mario!" Luigi's stomach knotted at how close Ethros' attacks had landed. "Keep moving, I got it from here!"

"No way, Weege!" Mario replied with defiance as he stood atop of a large boulder. "We started this together, and we're going to finish it together!"

Ethros turned its attention to Luigi and hovered ominously close to the green hero as it charged its cosmic beam once more. " _Fool... I had gifted you with untapped power and you squander such a blessing into absolute nothingness. You are nothing without my power._ "

Luigi again sidestepped the attack and unleashed a powerful lightning bolt that consumed the swirling water droplets surrounding Ethros in green static. "All the power I need I already have!" Luigi retorted with a lingering anger in his voice. "And nothing, no one, can take that power away!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Mario agreed as he attacked Ethros with a fiery punch in its exposed back.

Ethros bellowed in pain and frustration as it began losing it's ability to hover. Inching closer to the ground both Mario and Luigi could see the damage inflicted they've inflicted on the star's body. The crack at the top of Ethros' head expanded wider and traveled downward further to the lower two points on it's body. The scorch marks from Mario's fire and the sparks from Luigi's lightning marred the otherwise brilliant shine from Ethros' natural aura. The shield that had surrounded Ethros had all but faded, leaving only a think veil of cosmic energy between it and the heroes.

Mario stood at Luigi's side and folded his arms together stubbornly. "This is your last chance Ethros. Surrender now, or we will be forced to destroy you."

Luigi quickly glanced at Mario and smirked a little. It seemed Mario had learned some degree of patience after all.

Ethros began chuckling in a low, almost guttural growl. " _Bravo heroes. You have indeed fought well_." A flash of cosmic energy surrounded Ethros as the dying star desperately summoned the last of it's energy to charge one final beam. " _But the end draws nigh_ ," the beam reached it's peak charge and cast an eerie rainbow hued glow over the brothers and the entire peak of Black Mountain. " _soon, everything that you know and everything that you are will be destroyed_."

 _ **...to be continued...**_


	10. Harmony

The entire mountain range rumbled as the powerful energy from Ethros surged into it's dying, breaking body. Chunks of the peak broke away, disintegrating into tiny particles of sand dust as they floated upward into the air, forming a cloud of dark debris that loomed overhead. A bright white light, with flashes of the rainbow shining through it, basked over Mario and Luigi as the duo stood boldly before Ethros' charging cosmic beam. Neither brother moved from their spot, neither flinching or even blinking as they faced imminent death.

" _This is_..." Ethros' beam had fully charged to a power beyond any that neither Mario or Luigi had ever faced before. " _the end_!"

Mario gritted his teeth as he glared at Ethros, refusing to back down from the attack. Lighting the most powerful fireball he could muster he aimed directly at Ethros and prepared to launch it as soon as Ethros let loose it's beam.

As the cosmic beam was unleashed for the final time an egregiously gorgeous light cast a blinding glow over the mountains. A warmth that was akin to the very boiling core of the planet incinerated all the remaining vegetation and broken trees that covered the peak behind the heroes.

Fire met beam, only to be completely consumed by the light and vanish from sight.

"No!" Mario's eyes widened with a sense of fear for the first time since entering the Mushroom Kingdom. "Not like this..."

* * *

Peach and Toadsworth, now standing at her side, watched through the opening the wall of the secret chamber as the light of the cosmic attack lit up the ever dark night sky. Despite being shielded by the thick walls of the Castle the duo felt the intense heat from the beam as it warmed unnaturally against their skin.

"No..." Peach felt a dread enter her heart and tighten like a vice. "Mario... Luigi..."

Toadsworth took her hand in his and squeezed tight. "Be patient. Don't lose hope. Not now."

Peach returned the squeeze as she pressed her opposite hand over her heart. She could sense that great danger was looming in the mountains.

* * *

Mario tried to keep his eyes open as the beam rushed toward him and Luigi with unfathomable speed, but the prospect of death was too much even for the bravest hero to ever set foot in the Mushroom Kingdom to bear. With bated breath Mario awaited the intense heat to sear the flesh from his bones, for the powerful energy to surge through his body stopping his heart, for the pain of a failed battle to wrack ever nervous fiber of his being. But no such sensation ever came.

Opening one eye Mario looked back to Ethros not knowing what to expect. "What?! Luigi!"

Luigi had cast a bolt of lightning just as Mario launched his fireball. While Mario's flames had been extinguished by the beam, Luigi's lightning managed to repel the beam and hold it at bay.

"I... I got it!" Luigi struggled to speak as his mind and body were completely focused on keeping a steady current of lightning flowing into the beam. "Just... Just go!"

"No way!" Mario formed another fireball in a futile attempt to help his brother stop the attack. "I'm staying right by your side!"

"I... I can't hold it... much longer!" Luigi reluctantly confessed, his arm began to shake from the physical exertion. "Run!"

"Sorry Weege," Mario stopped forming fireballs and put his hand on Luigi's shoulder to help support his brother. "you lead and I follow!"

Ethros had let out an angry roar of defiance as it continued to put all of it's power into the final attack. " _Death... approaches..._ "

Luigi fought to keep the beam at bay, fought to keep his strength from giving out, fought to keep his brother and the world he loved from being destroyed by the malevolent star. "I... I need help!"

"You got it!" Mario spoke confidently as he tried to find some way to assist Luigi. "I'm not going anywhere!"

" _Light_..." Ethros muttered in low tone. " _Darkness_... _This world of Light cannot exists without Darkness_."

Mario and Luigi didn't respond to the morbid taunts.

" _This world has lived in Light for too long, now it must live in Darkness_!" Ethros gave one last burst of energy that pushed Luigi backward, his boots digging into the ashen terrain. " _It has been written! It shall come to pass_!"

As Ethros' words echoed over the mountain, wavering through the energy beam that would change the world forever, Luigi had one last idea that could possibly turn the tides of battle. Closing his eyes Luigi attempted to channel the same power that Ethros had tapped when he pitted the two brother's against one another. The dark power had faded, lost when Luigi had been struck down by Mario's light. But that same light had left it's mark in an unexpected way.

" _It is... over_!" Ethros declared arrogantly as it forced the beam to finally break through the green lightning.

"No!" Luigi defied as the green bolt of lightning surging from his fingertips transitioned from emerald to gold.

"Luigi?" Mario watched as the same aura of light that had given himself an unimaginable power was now flowing through Luigi's body.

"If you can be a Hero of Light and still channel Darkness," Luigi explained calmly as the aura began enveloping the cosmic beam within the gilded lightning. "then I can be the Guardian of Darkness and channel the Light!"

Mario nodded with approval as the strengthened lightning snaked into the cosmic beam and ensnared Ethros itself in a web of sparks and impenetrable electrical energy.

" _NO_." Ethros lost control over the cosmic beam as it was rendered helpless in the golden lightning. " _Impossible_!"

"Now, Mario!" Luigi used the light aura to energize his Thunder Hand to it's maximum potential.

Mario jumped up into the air with his fist cloaked in fire. Aiming one solid punch at the center of Ethros' body, the power of the Fire Brand punch with the flowing gilded lightning split Ethros' body in half. The fire splitting the star into two pieces while the lightning pulled the two halves apart. Mario landed on the opposite side of Ethros and shielded his eyes with his arm as the intense energy was almost blinding.

A single orb of impossibly bright, white light burst from betwixt Ethros' two halves, shooting up into the night sky out of sight with thunderous crash.

What remained of Ethros disintegrated into star dust that gently wafted down the peak at Mario and Luigi's feet.

Luigi fell to the ground on his knees, his energy was spent and he could barely keep his eyes open. Mario walked through the star dust and kneeled down in front of his brother and smiled.

"Luigi, you did it."

"No," Luigi partially opened his eyes. "we did it."

"I'm proud of you, little bro!"

"Same to you, big bro."

"C'mon," Mario reached for Luigi's arm and pulled it around his shoulders. "let's go home."

As Luigi was pulled to his feet, his legs shaking violently from his dwindling strength, he looked over the edge of the mountain to the heavily damaged town below. "Home to where?"

Mario looked down at the town and felt his heart ache. "I... I guess we have to rebuild home. Brick by brick."

"Exactly the way it was." Luigi agreed, his knees starting buckle.

"Here, sit down. Rest for a minute."

As the brother's sat side by side on the mountain peak, a sense of much needed quiet and peace fell as a gentle hush over the Mushroom Kingdom. The dusty clouds above had parted allowing the bright stars to shine down through the dark sky once more. The ground was stable and the wind was still.

"Mario," Luigi broke the silence with a whisper. "I'm so sorry for attacking you."

"Luigi," Mario had been dreading the inevitable conversation, but he wasn't going to push it aside. "you didn't attack me. Ethros tricked us. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, I guess." He folded his hands together remorsefully. "But I remember everything about the fight. Every bolt of lightning I threw at you and every word I said-"

"No, Weege." Mario refused to let Luigi feel guilty for the crime another person committed. "Don't blame yourself. We both saw some ugly truths tonight, but as ugly as they were we're not both better people for looking them in the face. I'd rather be scarred by an ugly truth than be graced with a beautiful lie."

"Good point."

The ground beneath them began to quake as a new force began rising from the crater of the fallen comet. Mario pressed his hand onto the surface of the ground as the quake intensified.

"Uh-oh." They bother turned to look at the crater a few yards behind them. "Now what?"

From inside the crater the downed comet itself had begun cracking like an egg. A stream of white light emerged from the comet as the cracks widened and the surface layers of the comet fell away.

Mario and Luigi stood up slowly and stared in awe at the light that was emanating from the crater. Just as Ethros had risen from the crater before a new form emerged and hovered in the night sky. A form very much like a star.

"What... What is it?" Luigi asked bewildered.

"I wish I knew..."

The form took shape in the form of a star. A six pointed star. " _Greetings, heroes_." A gentle almost feminine voice called out to them. " _Do not be afraid_."

"Wh-who are you?" Luigi asked cautiously, not wanting another fight to take place.

" _I am Constance. The true Eternal Star_."

"The... 'true star'?" Mario questioned wisely. "Then who was Ethros?"

" _My shadow_." Constance admitted sadly. " _The Darkness within me had grown too strong, to deep after millennia of traveling across the universe. I had lost control over my inner darkness and it consumed me_."

"So... Ethros was your dark half?" Luigi asked politely with a quiet voice.

Constance nodded and spun around once. The six pointed star was pure white with silver eyes, a long scarf of both gold and silver wrapped around her body gracefully. An aura of red and an aura of green pulsed over her form as she revealed herself to the heroes.

" _I failed to control my darkness and as a result your world was nearly destroyed. For that I am truly sorry_."

Mario and Luigi didn't say a word. What could they say in that moment? They certainly couldn't blame her for losing control of herself as they too had done the same not moments ago.

" _Since the beginning of time I've traveled through the stars, passing by many worlds and smiling down on all of those who lived there. As time crept on, as I wandered through the endless hours of time itself, I longed for a place to call my home_."

Mario and Luigi relaxed a little as she spoke. She had a soothing presence and spoke with a palpable sincerity.

" _I began flying closer and closer to each world as I passed, desperate to find a desirable world. But as time crept on the world's began to change. Those who lived on these beautiful worlds began to destroy the beauty in pursuit of power and control. It ached my heart so to see such beauty destroyed. With every world I passed the ache intensified into a relentless pain that I could no longer deny_."

Mario began to understand her story. "And you felt like we weren't as appreciate of our worlds as we should've been."

Constance nodded once as a tear fell from her celestial eye. " _But I am now responsible for the very atrocity I sought to end. My actions are unforgivable, I caused panic, fear, strife, conflict and death across this world_."

Luigi shook his head. "No. You didn't do it, Ethros did."

" _And I am the vessel that created Ethros_." Constance admitted mournfully. " _Though I cannot undo the actions of Ethros, I can heal the damage he has inflicted upon this world. I shall return to the cosmos and restore the world to how it once was, before Ethros arrived_."

"Wait!" Luigi put his hand up to stop Constance from leaving, but quickly retracted his palm. "What about that prophecy?"

Smiling for the first time since she emerged from the comet, Constance answered the question. " _Just as I have seen the beginning of time, I had seen it's end and all of those who passed through. You two, Mario and Luigi; Brothers of Harmony, are destined to protect the innocent from the wicked of this world_."

"You... you knew that... Ethros..."

Constance nodded once more. " _As the pain ate away at my spirit I knew that I would lose control over my darkness. In an attempt to free myself from Ethros' control I knew that you two were the only ones who could help me_."

Mario and Luigi exchanged dumbfounded glances for only a moment as Constance began rising high into the night sky.

" _Thank you, Mario and Luigi. I leave this world with but one request: Cherish all that you have_."

Mario and Luigi watched as Constance flew up ever higher and became one with the rest of the stars in the sky. A streak of light that flashed between red and green began circling the world, releasing a fine aura that fell to the world and began restoring it to the state it had been before Ethros arrived and attempted to destroy it.

With great awe the brothers watched as the glowing aura filled the many fissures that destroyed the ground, filled the cracks of the broken walls and roads and watched as new flora sported from the healed ground beneath their feet.

* * *

From inside the Castle Peach and Toadsworth watched as the imperfections that marred Toad Town disappeared from sight under the glow of the ethereal aura. All fear and doubt melted away into a blissful sense of peace.

"It's a miracle!" Peach cheered as she rushed out of the chamber, up the stairs and through the Castle doors. "Mario! Luigi! You did it! I know you did!"

Toadsworth huffed after the Princess and joined her at the Castle doors. "Well done, boys! Very well done, indeed!"

A gleeful tear rolled down Peach's cheek. "Thank heavens!"

* * *

High above in the clear starry sky a magnificent meteor shower of infinite color rained across the heavens, as the world below healed and the people celebrated.

"Wow." Mario whispered as he watched the meteor shower. "You were right, Luigi."

"About what?" Luigi asked curiously as they stood side by side on the mountain peak.

"The stars. They really are beautiful!"

 _ **-The End  
**_


End file.
